Blake Lively has reportedly sought $8 million in legal fees from Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios. In a filing submitted on Monday in New York City, the Gossip Girl star demanded $7,495,526.87 in attorneys’ fees. Not only that, she sought $539,514.01 in litigation costs and expenses from her headline-making legal battle with the It Ends With Us star and his company.
Blake Lively seeks legal fees from Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively has reportedly requested Justin Baldoni to pay her about $8 million in legal fees (via Page Six). Lively’s legal team shared that the efforts required to beat Baldoni’s now-dismissed $400 million counter-lawsuit were “comprehensive and necessary to achieve the complete win that was secured.”
The attorneys added that the actress-entrepreneur “has paid and continues to pay” her legal bills. She is further determined to seek “any additional attorneys’ fees” incurred in her latest legal request.
Furthermore, the filing also stated “significant press attention, with thousands of indexed and syndicated media articles.” The filing pointed out that because of the significant media attention, the legal costs increased as well. Additionally, the filing also noted that Lively has come up with more than 7,000 documents since the legal battle began.
Notably, Judge Lewis J. Liman has ordered Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios to reply to Lively’s request by July 13. Then, as per the court documents, Liman will decide whether Lively deserves the full amount, reduced fees, or to completely deny her request.
The 38-year-old actress’ lawyers revealed to the outlet: “Thanks to this landmark decision, those considering using a lawsuit as a weapon of intimidation have been put on notice that there are consequences for doing so.”
She continued, “The value of this ruling is in the precedent it creates, the accountability it imposes, and the protection it provides to those who may one day find themselves facing similar retaliation for speaking the truth.”
Earlier last month, Lively’s team sued Baldoni for legal fees and damages, reigniting their long-drawn legal battle. Previously, on May 4, multiple media outlets reported that Lively and Baldoni settled their legal war with a zero payout.
